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TOP AWARDS FOR ISLAND FESTIVALS

By Martin Neville - Wednesday, November 7, 2007
TOP AWARDS FOR ISLAND FESTIVALS
The IW Festival won the award for the Best Major Festival at the UK Festival Awards.
THE Island is officially home to the best festivals in the country after scooping the biggest prizes on offer.
The IW Festival got the prize for Best Major Festival while the Bestival took Best Medium Sized Festival for the third year running at the UK Festival Awards last night (Tuesday).
The IW Festival, the UK’s first major festival, revived in 2001 after a 30-year hiatus, lived up to its legendary status this summer with a stunning show that included headline performances from Muse and The Rolling Stones.
It was a night of double celebration for the event’s organisers, Solo, as head man John Giddings, picked up the award for Outstanding Contribution to UK festivals.
John was presented the award at the UK Festival Awards at London’s Koko Club, in Camden after Virtual Festivals, which curate the awards, selected him as the most deserving recipient. He was presented with the award by Andrea Corr from the Corrs.
John said: “These six years have been an incredible experience. I’m not sure I would have taken it on if I had known what it involved, but the satisfaction of seeing the Rolling Stones on the Island made it all worthwhile. Thank you to all those people that have helped make it such a successful event, and here’s to many more.”
Steve Jenner, of Virtual Festivals, said: “I am especially delighted to be giving this award to John Giddings, a man who has achieved a unique and extraordinary feat by proving it is possible to operate within the commercial framework required to stage a major music festival today with the biggest headliners in existence, without compromising in the slightest on atmosphere, integrity or indeed personal charm. This industry needs more people like John Giddings.”